Crassula plant named ‘OVWOODS03’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Crassula plant named ‘OVWOODS03’ which is characterized by the combination of a broad spreading to upright growth habit with an irregular broad ovate to near spherical shape, light green and glaucous foliage that is margined greyed-purple, foliage with a strong axial twist and crenulate margins that are strongly undulated, and the stability of all characteristics from generation to generation.

Latin name of the genus and species: The Latin name of the genus and species of the novel variety disclosed herein is Crassula arborescens subsp. undilatifolia.

Variety denomination: The inventive variety of Crassula disclosed herein has been given the variety denomination ‘OVWOODS03’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to the Community Plant Variety Rights application number 2020/2873, filed on Nov. 13, 2020, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parentage: ‘OVWOODS03’ originated as a naturally occurring, whole-plant mutation of Crassula ‘OVCRAS03’ (Community Plant Variety Rights grant number 46259), a variety developed and owned by the inventor. The inventor of ‘OVWOODS03’ is a commercial ornamental plant producer and regularly discovers mutations of Crassula at his greenhouse operation in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. For said mutations which seem to exhibit commercial potential, cuttings are taken to produce trial plants which are subsequently grown for evaluation. The variety now called ‘OVWOODS03’ was initially discovered in the summer of 2016 as a whole-plant mutation of ‘OVCRAS03’ which exhibited light green and glaucous foliage with narrow greyed-purple margins that is axially twisted with strongly undulated margins. At the time of discovery, cuttings were taken and the resulting plants were evaluated at the inventor's greenhouse. After further evaluation it was determined that the candidate's foliage characteristics would prove favorable for commercial marketability. The new variety was given the breeder denomination ‘OVWOODS03’.

Asexual Reproduction: The variety now called ‘OVWOODS03’ was first asexually propagated by stem cuttings in the summer of 2016 at a greenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands and has since been vegetatively propagated through four additional generations. Through subsequent generations, the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘OVWOODS03’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘OVWOODS03’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘OVWOODS03’ as a new and distinct Crassula cultivar:

-   -   1. Crassula ‘OVWOODS03’ exhibits a broad spreading to upright         growth habit with an irregular broad ovate to near spherical         shape; and     -   2. Crassula ‘OVWOODS03’ exhibits yellow-green to light green,         heavily glaucous foliage which is covered with greyed-green         epicuticular wax; and     -   3. Crassula ‘OVWOODS03’ exhibits mature foliage that is margined         greyed-purple; and     -   4. Crassula ‘OVWOODS03’ exhibits foliage that is curled under,         with a strong axial twist, and crenulate margins that are         strongly undulated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, an exemplary plant of ‘OVWOODS03’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. This plant is approximately 12 months old, shown planted in a 12 cm container.

FIG. 2 illustrates, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color photographs of this type, the typical foliage of ‘OVWOODS03’.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following observations and measurements made in November of 2020 describe averages from a sample set of six specimens of 12 month-old ‘OVWOODS03’ plants grown in 12 cm nursery containers at commercial greenhouse in Bleiswijk, The Netherlands. The plants were grown in full sun to semi-shade. Plants were maintained with a standard fertility program for plants of this type and regularly watered with overhead irrigation as well as through use of ebb-and-flow hydroponic greenhouse benches. No chemical pest measures were taken.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics will vary with older or, conversely, with younger plants. ‘OVWOODS03’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Where dimensions, sizes, colors and other characteristics are given, it is to be understood that such characteristics are approximations or averages set forth as accurately as practicable. The phenotype of the variety may differ from the descriptions set forth herein with variations in environmental, climactic and cultural conditions. Color notations are based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, The Royal Horticultural Society, London, 2015 (sixth edition).

A botanical description of ‘OVWOODS03’ and comparisons with the parent and closest known commercial comparator are provided below.

-   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Broad spreading to upright perennial.         -   Plant form.—Irregular broad ovate to near spherical.         -   Average height.—16.6 cm from the soil level to the top of             the foliar plane.         -   Plant spread.—Average of 16.3 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Somewhat slow to moderately fast.         -   Plant vigor.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Propagation type.—Stem cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 14 days to initiate             roots at temperatures ranging from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 6 weeks to             produce a rooted cutting.         -   Disease resistance.—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to             typical Crassula pests and diseases has been observed.         -   Environmental tolerances.—Adapt to, at least, USDA Zones 10             and 12 and temperatures as high as 40 degrees Celsius; low             tolerance to rain; moderate to high tolerance to wind. -   Root system:     -   -   General.—Moderately dense and freely branched rooting; roots             are moderately fibrous.         -   Distribution in the soil profile.—Shallow to moderately             deep.         -   Diameter of roots.—0.5 mm on average.         -   Texture.—Smooth and glabrous.         -   Color.—Greyed-orange, nearest to RHS 165A. -   Stem:     -   -   General branching habit.—A main stem, freely branching with             lateral branches. Pinching isn't required but will improve             branching.         -   Main stems.—Quantity of main stems per plant — 1. Attitude —             Upright. Cross-section — Rounded. Texture — Glabrous;             glaucous. Luster — Matte. Strength — Strong. Color, juvenile             — Yellow-green, nearest to in between RHS 144A and 144B.             Color, mature — Green, nearest to RHS 137D. The epicuticular             wax is colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 189C. Color at             internodes — Green, nearest to RHS 137D. The epicuticular             wax is colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS 189C. Nodes of             the oldest wood are colored greyed-white, nearest to RHS             156D. Color of the oldest wood — Greyed-green, nearest to a             mixture of RHS 195A and 197D.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity of lateral branches — 6. Length             of lateral branches — Approximately 4.7 cm. Diameter of             lateral branches — Approximately 0.7 cm. Internode length —             Approximately 1.3 cm. Attitude — At an average angle of 35             degrees to the main stem. Cross-section — Rounded. Texture —             Glabrous; glaucous. Luster — Matte. Strength — Strong.             Color, juvenile — Yellow-green, nearest to in between RHS             144A and 144B. Color, mature — Green, nearest to RHS 137D.             The epicuticular wax is colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS             189C. Color at internodes — Green, nearest to RHS 137D. The             epicuticular wax is colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS             189C. -   Foliage:     -   -   Phyllotaxy.—Decussate.         -   Division.—Simple.         -   Quantity.—8 per lateral branch.         -   Attitude.—Upward.         -   Lamina.—Shape — Obovate. Aspect — Moderately curled upward,             and axially twisted (spiraled). Dimensions — 5.5 cm long and             3.3 cm wide. Thickness — Approximately 0.4 cm. Apex — Broad,             bluntly acute to obtuse. Base — Cuneate. Margin — Entire to             near crenulate; coarsely, strongly undulated. Pubescence,             texture and luster of the adaxial surface — Glabrous,             smooth, and matte; heavily glaucous. Pubescence, texture and             luster of the abaxial surface — Glabrous, smooth, and matte;             heavily glaucous. Color — Juvenile foliage, adaxial surface             — Green, nearest to RHS 137B, and fading to yellow-green             towards the base, nearest to RHS 144A. The epicuticular wax             covering the leaf surface is greyed-green, nearest to RHS             191B. Juvenile foliage, abaxial surface — Yellow-green,             nearest to RHS 144A, and fading slightly lighter towards the             base, nearest to RHS 144B. The epicuticular wax covering the             leaf surface is greyed-green, nearest to RHS 190A. Mature             foliage, adaxial surface—Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146B,             and narrowly margined greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 187A.             The epicuticular wax covering the leaf surface is             greyed-green, nearest to RHS 191B. Mature foliage, abaxial             surface — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146A, and narrowly             margined greyed-purple, nearest to RHS 187A. The             epicuticular wax covering the leaf surface is greyed-green,             nearest to RHS 190A. Venation — No veins are visible.         -   Petiole.—Length — 0.2 cm. Diameter — 0.6 cm at the widest             point and 0.4 at the narrowest point. Strength — Moderately             strong. Texture — Smooth, glabrous; glaucous. Luster —             Matte. Color — Yellow-green, nearest to RHS 146C; the             epicuticular wax is colored greyed-green, nearest to RHS             189D. -   Inflorescence: No flowering has been observed to date.

COMPARISON WITH THE PARENT PLANT

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVWOODS03’ differs from the parent, an unnamed Crassula ‘OVCRAS03’ (Community Plant Variety Rights grant number 46259), in the following characteristics described in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 Characteristic ‘OVWOODS03’ ‘OVCRAS03’ Foliage size. Larger than Smaller than ‘OVCRAS03’. ‘OVWOODS03’. General Darker green by Lighter green by coloration comparison comparison to of to ‘OVCRAS03’ ‘OVWOODS03’ with a the foliage. with a heavier covering lighter covering of greyed-green of greyed-green epicuticular wax. epicuticular wax. Margin color- More broadly More narrowly margined ation of the margined with with a mixture of greyed- mature foliage. greyed-purple. purple to brown. Undulation of More strongly undulated. Less undulated. foliar margins.

COMPARISON WITH THE CLOSEST KNOWN COMPARATOR

Plants of the new cultivar ‘OVWOODS03’ differs from the species, Crassula ‘AMICRA1701’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,749), in the following characteristics described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Characteristic ‘OVWOODS03’ ‘AMICRA1701’ Foliage shape. Obovate. Obovate to broad spatulate. General Darker green by Lighter green by coloration comparison comparison of the foliage. to ‘AMICRA1701’. to ‘OVWOODS03’. Leaf aspect. Moderately curled downward Concave with no axial and axially twisted. twist. Foliar margins. Entire to near crenulate; Entire; not undulated. coarsely, strongly undulated. 

That which is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Crassula plant named ‘OVWOODS03’, substantially as described and illustrated herein. 